Automatic letter-distributing system



Dec. 27, 1927.

. 1,654,354 A. TORCHIA AUTOMATIC LETTER DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Filed April 22, 1926 .nlml

1'7 INVENTOR. I I P15 .5: qlberlo Yam/em ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet l v Dec. 27, 1927.

A. TORCHIA AUTOMATIC LETTER DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1926 INVENTOR.

fl/ber/o 75min A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,654,354- PATENT; OFFICE.

ALBERTO TORCHIA, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JOSEPH BRUNO, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORKQ AUTOMATIC LETTER-DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

Application filed April 22 accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing. my improved mail distribnter as adapted for delivering or distributing mail to houses, or in rural sections.

Fig. 2 IS a sectional view ofan oi'tiee building, showing my improved device installed therein.

Fi 3 is an enlar 'ed )ers )cctive view of b n e u the car or carrier as useo in connection with my in'iproved device.

F 1g; 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the control device as used in connection with my improved mail distributer.

As here embodied my improved mail dis-- tributer comprises a carrier or car having wheels 10 with flanges to accommodate a track 11, said wheels being rotatively mounted on shafts suitably attached to the supports 12, at their upper extremities, the container 13 being of suitable shape to accommodate a plurality of drawers 14, 'slidably held therein, is suitably attached to the lower extremities of the supports 12. The drawers 1% being of suitable dimensions to accommodate letters and mail matter, and being numbered consecutivel As a. means ot drivin the heretobetore mentioned car, I have provided an electric motor 15, of common construction, attached to one of the supports 12, and having a pulley'over which the belt 16 is extended, which is also extended over pul ley attached to one of the wheels 10. It should be understood that the carrier 13 is suspended from the track 11 by two pairs of supports each of which are connected at their lower ends to the carrier. The carrier 13 preferably comprising insulating material such as fibre or wood so that each pair of supports are electrically insulated from each other. The motor 15 is mounted on one support of one pair of supports and is electrically connected with one of the supports of the other pair by a conductor 12. In this manner current is supplied from one of the rails directly to the motor through the support on which it is mounted and from the i926. Serial No. 103,759.

other rail through the conductor connected with a support depending therefrom, it be-- ing understood that the said rail 11 is held in place or suitably suspended by means of hangers 17 attached thereto and to any con venient place.

Referring in particular to Figure of the accompanying drawing, as a means of stopping the said car at any desired, place on the track 11, I have provided an extending strip '18, suitably attached to one of the supports 12, having a plurality of notches 19, located at the top andbottom, it beingunderstood that the notches 19 will be numbered conseoutively and of a suitable number to correspond with the said drawers 14. I have also provided stoprods. 20, slidably mounted on a bearing 21, and having-attached atone extremity a lever 22, pivoted as at .23, the said lever 22 being attached to the operating rod 20,-by means of a slot 24 in the lever 22, and a pin 25 attached to the operating rod '20 engaging inthe slot 24. When the switch 26 is closed, electric current from thebattery 27,01 any suitable source, Wlll cause the-else.

tromagnet 28, which is suitably connected to the switch 26 and battery 27 to'move the operating rod so as to assume the position designated by the numeral 30, which will stop the said car, it beingunderstood that a plurality of the above mentioned devices are provided to correspond with the number of notches provlded.

It has already been stated that each of the notches 19 is numbered in correspondence with the drawers ot the carrier and it is the purpose of the stop rods 20 to indicate which particular drawer contains the letters dirooted. to the station at which the carrier is stopped, it being understood that each station may be equipped wit-h the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4: if desired and that there are as many steps at each station as there are notches in the bar. T he rods 20 are of suflt cient length to be extended past the ends of the notches 10 so as to engage the bar 18 and prevent the continuation of the carrier. After the mail or letters have been removed at their intended station the bar which has been extendedby the magnetic action may be manually retracted against the action of its magnet so as to permit the carrier to travel on to the next station.

It should be understood that each station is provided with a set of magnetically coni it) accompanying drawing, I have shown the track 11 suspended from the hangers 17 attached to the cross arms 31 of the telegraph poles 82, and also to the houses as at 33, although I do not necessarily limit my invention to this particular method of supporting the hangers 17. a

Referring in particular to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawing, I have shown the track 11 suspended from the hangers 17 conveniently attached to the walls or in the partition of the building, and suitably placed so as not to interfere with the general accoutrements of the building. It being understood that my improved device may be similarly installed in public buildings, apartment houses and the like, and that the said track 11 may be carried from one floor to another, as clearly shown.

It will be understood that my improved device will be controlled from the post otfice, or post oilice sub-station, which ordinarily handles the territory or section, and that two tracks will be provided for the sending and returning of the car as used in connection with my improved device.

lVhile I have above described the. preferred form, construction, and arrangement of the several elements employed, it will be understood that the device is, nevertheless,

susceptible of considerable modification therein, and I therefore reserve the privilege of resorting to all such changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope ot the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows A mail distributing system of the class described comprising a pair of overhead tracks, traction wheels mounted on said tracks, supports depending from said wheels, a carrier comprising a plurality of consecutively numbered drawers adapted to contain mail, an electric motor mounted on one of said supports and electrically connected with said tracks through the traction wheels mounted thereon and operatively connected with one of said traction wheels adapted to propel said wheels and said carrier, a contact bar mounted on one of said supports and extended laterally on both sides thereof having a plurality of notches therein numbered consecutively in correspondence with the numbering of said drawers, stopping mechanism mounted adjacent said tracks comprising a plurality of electric magnets each connected independently in series with a source of power, and aplurality of stop-.

ping arms each associated. with one of said magnets adapted to be projected into the path of said contact bar for engaging the same to stop the travel of said carrier and adapted to indicate which drawer contains mail for that station at which the carrier is stopped by designating a predeterminednotch and the number associated therewith.

In testimony whereofI have affixed my signature. 7

ALBERTO TORCHIA. 

